“Not sure if the phone will work. It’s frozen, solid,” Maverick said. He shook the clutch bag, and it rattled inside. The sound of it made her laugh.
“It’s fine. If not, I’ll get a new one. Thanks to Charles and Mother Abigail, I can afford it.”
“Let me buy a new one for you,” he offered.
“What?” She half-laughed and half-frowned.
“Charles isn’t the only one who could afford an iPhone, you know?” Maverick teased.
“Charles is dead. He can’t afford anything. Stop being silly.” Delilah walked out of the bathroom and tossed the bag to the bed. When she reached for her coat, Maverick caught her arm and turned her around to face him. He trapped her into another embrace. Due to her short height and his tall stature, she only reached his lower chest. But she hugged him tight anyway.
“Stay the night. I need you,” he said.
“I need you too,” she admitted.
“Then stay. Tomorrow we’ll explain everything to your parents and friends. However, you want.” This time he spoke with a rugged and determined look on his face. It immediately worried her. A new reality was what he proposed. But the old reality still felt unfinished in her heart. “Thank you, Maverick. For listening and understanding everything I told you tonight. For being here for me, and not judging me.”
“This sounds like a goodbye,” Maverick said.
“Tonight it has to be, okay? Stop being so serious. We’re friends,” she reasoned.
Maverick reached down and lifted her chin. “Friends?”
“Maverick, I really have to go.”
“Look at me. Are you really okay? You’ve been through a helluva lot Delilah, you can take a time-out.”
“I am. I did.” She kissed him. “I’m okay. Not because of what happened at the brunch. I don’t care what anyone thinks anymore. I’m okay because I was able to talk to someone. To tell you my truth. I didn’t know how much I needed that freedom. Now I’m free.”
“I’ll never break your trust. Ever.”
“I know. I know.” She broke away. “I just know it. And I don’t need evidence to believe you. Now you need to get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow.”
“How can I? I’ve been sleeping just fine with you in that bed every night.”
She put on her coat, and he helped her. “Not every night,” she joked.
“You’ve been mine every night,” he corrected himself.
“And I was yours tonight,” she wiggled away when his hold became too persistent. “Tomorrow breakfast is at eight. My parents get up really early. I want you to sit down with them. I want them to really get to know you.”
“Uhm, okay?” he said.
“I’ll have Noah’s bag packed for you. After breakfast, you bring him here. Like I promised. You’ll have him all day to yourself and all night. His very first sleepover. Our baby boy is growing fast.”
Maverick brows lowered, and he seem to track her with his eyes. She pretended not to notice.
“You ready for that?” Delilah chuckled. “The Prince of Pots can be a little terror before bedtime.”
“Ah, yeah, but I didn’t think I’d get the chance for an all day adventure so soon,” he pulled her toward him. “Why don’t you come with the package? We can take care of him together and then play with each other when he takes his naps.”
She pushed Maverick’s hand away from her lady parts. “No. That’s not how it works. He’s the most important person in the world to either of us, right? Right Maverick? I don’t want either of us to forget that by focusing on sex.”
“This isn’t just sex,” he sighed.
“You know what I mean,” she said. “You need time with your son without me. And I need to let you have it. Does that make sense?”
Maverick wiped his chin. “You’re back in control, aren’t you?”
“What? What are you talking about?” Delilah asked.
“The lady in bed with me earlier was free and open. The lady in front of me is now in control. You’re controlling my happiness instead of just letting things happen naturally with us. I know Noah’s important; give me a chance here, Delilah. I can fall in love with you and Noah without instructions—”
“Fall in love? Whoa... I’m not ready for that conversation.” She shook her head. “Let’s stop now.”
“You know what I’m trying to say. This thing between us is good. Let it happen. And if love is the end game, then so what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal? Seriously? We barely know each other. The country is facing a pandemic, and we’re in the middle of a custody battle! I like you. I really do. And trust me, it’s hard not to want to be here tomorrow. It’ll be the first time I haven’t been with my baby since he was born. So, yea, we’ll see how long I last. It’s only that I got a lot to deal with Maverick. A lot. Give me a chance to catch my breath, and I’ll give you one too.” She grabbed her purse and left the room. Maverick followed her to the door. She paused for a moment considering her plans. Should she prepare food for them? How would he know the times to give Noah a nap and when to practice his potty training?
“Don’t feed my baby a bunch of junk. And no red meat. Remember?” she asked. “Everything else... I’m going to relax. You’re the one in control.”
“Pescatarian toddler, yea, I got this. I’ll remember.” He gave her a sly smile. She shook her head and let him open the door for her. When the blast of cold hit her, she nearly fell back. The snow had stopped falling, but the cold was inhumane.
“You want me to walk you back to the house? It’s dark out there,” he said.
“No. It’s not that far.” He leaned in for her good night kiss. Shen liked the fact that he needed a shave. The stubble brushing her chin when they kiss made him feel so manly to her. “G’night.”
“Night,” he said.
Delilah dashed into the cold. The walk wasn’t a long one, but in her heels and sheer dress under her damp, heavy coat, it felt like torture. She had to circle around and go enter her home through the front door. And she stumbled more than once. But she managed to make it inside. The house was quiet as a quiet as a church mouse. The dark silence that greeted her covered her entry. Often her parents went to bed early and woke even earlier. So she climbed the stairs, careful not to alert the house of her return. When she opened her bedroom door, her mother sat up on her bed. Delilah froze. Delores had fallen asleep on top of the covers waiting for her.
“Hey? What’s going on? Where’s Noah?” Delilah asked.
“In bed with your father.” Delores turned and put her feet down on the side of the bed. She looked her daughter up and down. She got up from the bed and walked over to her. She touched Delilahs' face and then her hair. Delilah felt another pang of relief that she had washed her face before she came home.
“I was so worried! I was so worried!” Delores hugged Delilah. “What happened to you? Were in you an accident? What happened?”
“I'm fine. I’m okay. Really,” Delilah said.
“Where were you?” She grabbed Delilah by both arms. “It’s all over town. The video with Charles was on the news. Mother Abigail called here and threatened me. What happened at that brunch?”